Steam cleaner



' 1953 M. c.1'HoMPsoN' 2,86 0,917

STEAM CLEANER Filed Feb. 25. 1954 lNl/ENTOR. Mex C. THOMPSON BY HIS nTTo RNEYS. Ha ERAS; KlecH, FOSTR & HHRk/s United States Patent STEAM CLEANER Max C.-Thompson, South Pasadena, Calif. Application February 23, 1954, Serial No. 411,689

5 Claims. (Cl. 299-84) The present invention relates to a new and improved steam cleaner and to a process involvin the same.

The term steam cleaner, as used herein designates an apparatus which is designed to produce a mixture of liquid and steam under pressure so that this mixture may be readily'employed in cleaning.

Steam cleaners as a class are, of course, old, and have been constructed in a wide variety of ways. In order to improve the effectiveness of a steam-liquid mixture produced by such steam cleaners, it has become apparent thatit is necessary to add various chemical agents to them, which agents are eitective during the actual cleaning operation. Among the suitable agents which can be used for this purpose are soda ash, various phosphate compounds, and conventional detergents and like compositions. This task of'adding these various ingredients is frequently complicated by the fact that such ingredients are generally in a solid form and they must be placed in solution before they can be utilized. When they are placed in solution, it is necessary to take a number of precautions with the prior art devices so as to prevent solids from being carried by a liquid stream into unwanted locations.

It is a broad object of the instant invention to produce a new and improved type of steam cleaner in which various chemical agents, as indicated, can be added to the liquid-steam mixture produced with a minimum of difiiculty, and in which special chemical agents are readily placed in solution. A related object is to producea device of the class described which is both simple in construction and operation and hence is relatively inexpensive to manufactureand operate.

Another difficulty with the prior art steam cleaners relates to the fact that these cleaners as a rule require an extended period in order to get up to the temperature at which they may be operated at full capacity. An object of the instant invention is to overcome this disadvantage to steam cleaners and to produce a new and improved construction which may be operated so as to come up to an operating temperature exceedingly rapidly. A related object is to produce a device of the class described which is both simple to manufacture and to operate.

These and further objects of the instant invention, as well as the advantages of it, will be more fully apparent from the balance of this specification, the accompanying claims, and the appended drawing, in which:

The figure shows a cross-sectional view of a steam cleaner of the invention.

. In the drawing, it is seen that this steam cleaner consists of a center firebox 10, having a curved side wall 11, an open bottom 12, and a conical top 14 leading to a top opening 15 serving to vent exhaust gases from the firebox 10. Surrounding the side wall 11, there is positioned a water jacket 20 having a side Wall 21 and a bottom wall 22, this bottom wall being secured at its inner edge to the wall 11 above the bottom 12. The water jacket 20 is provided with an open top 23, adja- "ice cent to which there is disposed upon the wall 21 an inlet valve 24 which is controlled by means of a float 25. The precise valve construction utilized is of a conventional nature, and hence is not given in detail here. This valve construction is adapted to be connected to a pipe 26 leading to the water jacket 20 from outside the device as shown.

Also positioned within the water jacket 20 is a chemical dispenser 30 consisting of closed sides 31 and 32 connected by a closed bottom 33 and having an open top 34 disposed generally within the plane of the top 23. Disposed within the side 31 adjacent to the top 34 is a liquid inlet opening 35, and disposed within the side 31 is a liquid outlet opening 36. Both of these openings communicate with the interior of the water jacket'20 for a purpose which will be more fully described later.

Positioned upon the bottom 33 within thedispenser 30 is an upstanding outlet pipe 37 which is surrounded by means of a protective pipe 38 and a wire filter screen 39, this wire filter screen being secured to the top of the pipe 38 by means of a cap 40 covering the top of this pipe. In this construction, any liquid flowing through theoutlet pipe 37 has to fiow ;t hrough the screen 39, thence through holes 41 within the pipe 38 to the inside of the pipe 38, thence into holes 42 in the pipe 37 or into the open end 43 thereof and thence out through this latter pipe. A small breather hole 59 is placed in the top of the pipe 38 in order to prevent the entrapment :of-

air within the top of this pipe when the device is filled with liquid after having been drained.

The water jacket 20 is provided with an outlet pipe 46 having an open end 47 adjacent the top 23 of the Water jacket 20, connecting the interior of this water jacket 20 with the inlet side of a pump 50. The inlet of this pump 50 is also connected with the pipe 37 of the chemical dispenser 30 by means of a pipe 51 containing a valve 52. The pump 50 has an outlet 53 communicating with a pipe 54 leading to the top 55 of a heating coil 56 disposed within the firebox 10. This heating coil is connected at its lower end to an outlet pipe 57 containing a pressure gauge 58. The outlet 53 of the pump 50 is also connected to a pipe 60 containing a' flow-control valve 61 and an orifice 62, the pipe 60 passing through the bottom 22 of the water jacket 20. Positioned within the bottom 12 of the firebox 10 is a.

common burner 64, preferably of the gas type, although other types of burners can be substituted, connected by a pipe 65 and a valve 66 to an appropriate source of a heating material, such as, for example, a gas-air mixture.

The operation of the device described above is essentially comparatively simple. In use, the various pipes are connected as shown and Water is admitted to the water jacket 20 and the chemical dispenser 30. An appropriate chemical agent, such as described above, is placed within the chemical dispenser 30. Next, the

burner 64 is ignited and the pump 50 is started with the valves 52 and 61 open. As this occurs, liquid is constantly withdrawn through the inlet opening 47 adjacent to the top of the water jacket 20 and is re circulated to the bottom of this water jacket through the pipe 60, while simultaneously some of the liquid withdrawn through the inlet 47 is passed through the heating coil 56 and thence out through the pipe 57. Simultaneously, liquid is withdrawn from the chemical dispenser 30 through the pipe 51 and is admixed with liquid entering the pump 50 through the pipe 46 so that part of the liquid withdrawn from the chemical dispenserj 30 is passed through the heating coil 56 and part is passed through the pipe 60 back to the water jacket 20.

The recirculation of liquid from the top to the bottom of the water jacket 20 has the effect of continuous- 1y injecting hot liquid from the top of this water jacket Patented Nov. is, 1958 o the hettqm o the W ter iee e allow the t tal quantity of liquid within it to quite rapidly reach the maximum temperature which is preferred for use in operating the steam cleaner of the invention while simultaneouSly allowing liquid to be" withdrawn through the pipe 57 for use for the purpose intended. When the total liquid within the water jacket 20 has reached the desired operating temperature, the valve 61 is closed, and the entire output of the pump 50 flows through the heating coil 56. The operating temperature of the water in the water jacket 20 is preferably in the range of from 160 F. to 190 R; if it is hotter than this, the pump used is apt to withdraw steam or vapor from the water jacket; if it is colder than this, the product of the device is apt to be cooler than desired. The water jacket 20 is preferably designed so as to have a capacity such that the temperature of water in it is within this range during normal operation of the construction shown.

The chemical agent added to the chemical dispenser 30 is gradually placed into solution by liquid action in the obvious manner. This action tends to be rapid since hot water from adjacent the Water jacket 20 enters the dispenser 30 through the opening 35. The opening 36 is preferably placed in the wall 31 above the level of any solid chemical agent, which is added to the dispenser 30 in order to prevent entrapment of solids into the water jacket 20. A small quantity of this liquid containing such an agent is continuously bled into the water jacket 20 through the opening 36 so that the liquid within this water jacket will constantly contain a small quantity of the chemical agent used. Frequently, this is quite advantageous inasmuch as such agents tend to prevent deposits within and/or corrosion of the Water jacket.

The greater part of the liquid containing a chemical agent is withdrawn through the pipe 51, however, as indicated above. Because some of the liquid from the chemical dispenser 30 is normally sent to the water jacket 20, frequently it is undesirable to admix liquid from this chemical dispenser 30 as withdrawn through the pipe 51 with the liquid in the .water jacket during the warm-up period described above. Thus, the valve 52 may be kept closed so as to prevent such intermixture during the period when the steam cleaner of the invention is being operated at only part of its full capacity.

One important feature of the invention relates to the use of the pump 50 to withdraw liquid from adjacent the top of the water jacket 20 during the use of the device. Such forced withdrawal and forced injection of water into the bottom of the water jacket during the warm-up period is extremely etfective enabling the device of 'the invention to be brought up tooperating temperature quite rapidly. As an example of this, a commercial embodiment of the invention, as a result of this positive displacement of liquid, can be brought up to operating temperature in three minutes, instead of the seven minutes required by prior conventional constructions. The use of the pump 50 in withdrawing a solution of a chemical agent from the chemical dispenser 30 is also quite important in that it guarantees in effect that a desired amount of the chemical agent will at all times be present in the liquid-steam mixture. An adequate amount of such agent is valuable in producing a foaming product from the device shown at an even or smooth rate.

Those skilled in the art will realize that the herein described and disclosed invention is capable of wide modifications within the scope of the present disclosure. Such modifications are to be considered as part of the inventive concept insofar as they are defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A new and improved steam cleaner, which comprises: a firebox having a bottom, and a top provided with means for the escape 'of gases; a water jacket having an seen t r sur eunsiias the ide at sai firebo a hemi al dispenser disposed in said water jacket, said chemical dispenser comprising a tank having closed sides, a closed bottom, an open top disposed in the same plane as the c-pen top of said Water jacket, means defining an opening into said tank from said water jacket adjacent to said top, means defining a Second opening into said tank from said water jacket near the bottom of said tank, and an outlet positioned upon the bottom of said tank, said outlet being provided with filter means to filter the liquid drawn through said outlet; a float-controlled inlet positioned in said water jacket; an outlet from said water jacket to remove liquid from adjacent to said open top thereof; a pump having an inlet and an outlet positioned adjacent to said water jacket with said pump inlet connected the outlet from said water jacket; a pipe connecting said pump inlet with said outlet in said chemical dispenser; a heating coil Within said firebox; a pipe connecting the top of said heating coil with the outlet of said pump; a pipe leading from the bottom of said heating coil externally of said steam cleaner, said pipe providing an outlet for hot liquid and steam from said steam cleaner; a pipe containing flow control means connecting the outlet or" said pump with the bottom of said water jacket; and a burner positioned within the bottom of said firebox.

2. A new and improved steam cleaner, which comprises: means defining a firebox having sides, a bottom, and a top, and provided with means defining an opening for burned gases; means defining a Water jacket having an open top surrounding said sides; means defining a chemical dispenser in said water jacket, said means comprising means defining a tank within said water jacket, said tank having an open top, side and bottom walls, means defining an inlet into said tank from said water jacket adjacent to said top, means defining an outlet from the bottom of said tank into said water jacket, means defining a second outlet from the bottom of said tank, and filter means surrounding said means defining said second outlet; means defining a float-controlled water inlet adjacent to the top of said water jacket; means defining a water outlet from adjacent to the top of said water jacket; pump means connected to said means defining a water outlet externally of said water jacket; means connecting said pump means to said means defining a second outlet whereby liquid may be drawn into said pump means through said means defining a second outlet and through said means defining a water outlet; heating coils positioned within said firebox; means defining an outlet from said heating coils positioned externally of said firebox; means defining an inlet to said heating coils connected to said pump means; means connectedlto said pump means for conveying liquid from said pump means into the bottom of said water jacket, said means for conveying liquid into the bottom of said Water jacket being provided with flow control means; and means positioned inside the bottom of said firebox for heating said coils.

3. In a steam cleaner having a firebox surrounded by a water jacket and steam coils within said firebox, the improvement which comprises: an inlet for Water to be pumped through said steam coils positioned adjacent to the top of said water jacket; a pump connected by a pipe to said inlet so as to be capable of withdrawing water from said inlet through said water jacket; means for supplying a chemical solution; pipe means connecting said means for supplying a chemical solution to said pump whereby said pump is operative to withdraw a chemical solution from said means for supplying a chemical solution; and divided pipe means leading to said steam coils from said pump to deliver a part of the withdrawn water thereto and leading from said pump to the bottom of said water jacket to return withdrawn water to said jacket.

4. In a steam cleaner, the improvement which comprises: a container; means for supplying water to said container whenever the supply of Water therein falls below a predetermined minimum; a chemical dispenser so placed as to have its lower portion immersed in said water, there being an inlet opening through the wall of said dispenser near but below the normal surface of said water, there being an outlet opening through the wall of said dispenser, said outlet opening being substantially below said inlet opening; pump means; pipe means withdrawing liquid from said dispenser and delivering it to said pump means; pipe means for delivering liquid from said pump to said water supply in said container; and pipe means for delivering liquid to said pump means from said water supply in said container and from said pump means to a place of use.

5. In a steam cleaner, the improvement which comprises: means providing a water jacket; means for supplying water to said jacket whenever the supply of water therein falls below a predetermined minimum; means for heating water in said jacket; a chemical dispenser s0 placed as to have its lower portion immersed in said water, there being an inlet opening through the wall of said dispenser near but below the normal surface of said water,

there being an outlet opening through the wall of said dispenser, said outlet opening being substantially below said inlet opening; a pump; pipe means withdrawing liquid from said dispenser through a filter and delivering it to 6 said pump; pipe means for delivering said liquid from said pump to said water supply in said jacket means; pipe means for delivering water to said pump from said water supply in said jacket; and pipe means for delivering water from said pump to discharge means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 445,780 Hoyt Feb. 3, 1891 1,223,021 Allen Apr. 17, 1917 1,462,970 Lathrop July 24, 1923 2,128,263 Ofeldt Aug. 30, 1938 2,183,125 Riley Dec. 12, 1939 2,218,393 Corydon Oct. 15, 1940 2,289,674 Ofeldt July 14, 1942 2,291,872 Brantly Aug. 4, 1942 2,296,713 Hinsch Sept. 22, 1942 2,377,363 Noble et al. June 5, 1945 2,603,534 Miller July 15, 1952 2,618,246 Rostek Nov. 18, 1952 2,638,383 Hall May 12, 1953 2,641,508 Stoner et al. June 9, 1953 2,649,203 Hannibal Aug. 18, 1953 

